Water in Hydraulics

tessiers · Jan 13, 2012

I got water in my hydraulics of my tractor, actually found a frozen line going to one side of the angle cylinders on my snow plow. I am afraid changing the fluid will leave water in the lines, valves, cylinders. I am considering dumping some diesel fuel additive in the hydraulic tank and running it through all the motions just before draining the hydraulic fluid, hoping the additive will catch the water and will drain it when I drain the system. Thinking there will not be enough additive left over to hurt anything after I change the hydraulic fluid and filter. At the very least it will keep the water from freezing. Funny thing is I didn't notice any milky fuid, wondering if the plow cylinder somehow leaked water in over the summer. It doesn't seam to leak hydraulic fluid. Just affected one side, but its amazing how hard ice gets when you pack it in at 2000 psi.

What do you all think about the additive idea?

Thanks

Soundguy · Jan 13, 2012

put in transtune/seafoam.

it's specifically made to dewater...

it's safe to use in a tranny, manual or auto, and in hyds. I wrote the co. and asked.

the alcohol in the TT is a polar solvent. water is polar. the water will be disolved and carried out in soloution, vs suspension or emulsion.

thus.. add the TT , circlate it well and get it warm, then dump.

if you wish you can flush with more oil and some diesel or kerosene.. if you feel ok about that. I do it in all my old/used tractors.

have yet to hurt one.

soundguy

KYErik · Jan 15, 2012

If you plan ahead and get creative with a come along and gravity, you can remove most of the fluid in the cylinders.

Drain the fluid reservoir first and then start working the controls (engine off) and forcing the cylinders to extend or retract and you can drain most of the contents of the cylinders (you will still have a bit left in the lines)

tessiers · Jan 16, 2012

Thanks for the replies, the transtune/seafoam sounds like what I am looking for. I have it in a heated shop for the time being, I am not worried about removing every drop of fluid, because I can retract all the cylinders when it is running. The logistics of changing 100% of the fluid is imposible because I run loader, backhoe, plow, grapple, wood splitter, mower, chopper, tedder, they all have a little fluid in them and mix with the system at times, I am more interested in an additive to pickup the water and stabilize it in the fluid, which I will change, maybe even adding more to the new hydraulic fluid.